Sean “Diddy” Combs’s federal trial resumed on Tuesday in Manhattan, and the revelations just keep coming. This time, a former hotel security officer stepped into the witness box and claimed the hip-hop mogul handed him $100,000 in cash to make sure footage showing Combs allegedly attacking Cassie Ventura never saw the light of day.

The case against Combs stretches far beyond this video. Prosecutors have accused the music icon of running a dark empire that used threats, coercion, and violence to trap women in exploitative situations. He faces five criminal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking, and could face life in prison if found guilty. He maintains his innocence.

Tension in Court Before Testimony Even Began

Before anyone could testify, the courtroom experienced its first bit of drama. A woman, sitting among those watching the trial, started shouting obscenities and had to be removed by order of Judge Arun Subramanian.

Combs, seated quietly at the defence table, turned to look at her briefly as marshals led her out. Outside the courthouse, the woman told reporters she was frustrated by what she called “disrespect” from people mocking Combs during the proceedings. She said she came as a supporter.

Guard Details Secret Cash Deal Over 2016 Hotel Footage

Inside the courtroom, the focus quickly shifted to Eddy Garcia, who once worked security at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. He was on duty the night Combs allegedly assaulted Cassie near an elevator, an incident caught on surveillance footage that has already been played for the jury.

Garcia took the stand under an immunity deal, saying he was first approached by Combs’s former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, about accessing the video. Garcia said he told her they’d need a subpoena to release it. But soon after, he got a call from Combs himself.

“He told me the footage could ruin him,” Garcia testified. “He said he’d ‘take care of me’ if I helped.”

After consulting his supervisor, Garcia said they agreed on a $50,000 exchange. But the deal didn’t end there. In a private meeting held in a Los Angeles high-rise, Combs allegedly had Garcia sign confidentiality paperwork, then handed him a brown paper bag containing $100,000 in cash.

“He ran it through a money counter,” Garcia recalled. “Then he told me not to do anything that would draw attention.”

Garcia said he divided the money — giving $50,000 to his boss, $20,000 to another guard, and keeping $30,000 for himself.

Money Trail Between Diddy, Cassie, and Her Dad Sparks Questions

Later, the jury heard from Derek Ferguson, who served as Chief Financial Officer at Bad Boy Entertainment from 1998 until 2012. Ferguson said he managed the company’s budget and Combs’s personal finances during that time.

Prosecutors presented a financial timeline from December 2011 that raised some eyebrows:

On 14 December, Combs sent $20,000 to Cassie Ventura
On 23 December, Broderick Ventura — Cassie’s father — sent $20,000 to Combs
Then on 27 December, Combs wired $20,000 back to Broderick

While no explanation was provided in court, the back-and-forth transfers suggest there may have been more going on than simple financial generosity.

More Accusers Set to Testify as Trial Unfolds

Prosecutor Maurene Comey told the court they plan to call three more witnesses on Wednesday. Among them is Bryana Bongolan, who has accused Combs of sexual battery and claims he once dangled her over a balcony. Another woman, known only as “Jane”, will also take the stand under a pseudonym